Chrome Or Android For Tablets?

With a plethora of tablets on the horizon I started wondering…what is Google’s real strategy? Apple has hit the market early and hard and Windows 7, which is sleek, fast, and touch-ready, just doesn’t seem to be quite the tablet OS it could be.

Google seems to be somewhat mixed up with their answer to this. Several manufacturers are readying Android-based tablets, but Google is readying the Chrome OS, which it touts as it’s tablet/netbook OS.

This is going to be a problem for Google. It is NEVER good to split your own market. Android is working and people love it. So why divide everything by introducing Chrome OS? People are getting used to Android – they love the phones, as evidenced by the sales, which are through-the-roof. And there’s nothing wrong with Android for a tablet either. Samsung just showed off the Samsung Galaxy Tab which will run Android 2.2. If iOS can run a tablet so can Android – and just as well.

Granted we haven’t seen Chrome yet. Reportedly devices running it will be out this holiday season. But with Android’s huge headstart, customer recognition, and fast-growing app ecosystem, I can’t imagine who will want a Chrome device. I guess in the long run it won’t necessarily hurt Google, other than diverting resources. On the other hand, it could serve to confuse some potential customers. When they see they are getting the “Google OS” they will automatically think Android. We will know in the next few months, but I skeptical as of now.